finished with
them, I was obliged to drop them in a hurry, to escape discovery by the
principal. By the merest chance the girl I disliked happened along just
in time to be suspected of tampering with the papers. But she had
friends who fought loyally for her and cleared her of the suspicion.

"She won the prize. Nothing was ever said to me about it, but I knew
that the principal and at least four girls in school knew what I had
done. When I entered the sophomore class in the fall I felt a positive
hatred for this girl and for her friends. I did all sorts of cruel,
despicable things that year, and succeeded in dividing my class into two
factions who opposed each other at every point.

"Toward the last of the year I grew tired of being so disagreeable. My
conscience began to trouble me seriously. Then, one day, the two girls I
despised did me a great service, and my enmity toward them died out
forever.

"I can't begin to tell you how differently I felt after I had
acknowledged my fault and been forgiven. Those girls are my dearest
friends now. You know them, too."

"You--you don't mean Miss Harlowe and Miss Pierson?" asked Mildred in a
low tone, her eyes fixed upon Miriam.

Miriam nodded. "Grace and Anne are the most charitable girls I ever
knew," she said softly, "If they were not they would never have forgiven
me. Anne was the girl who won the prize. Grace was one of the friends
who stood by her. If you feel that you have done some one an injustice,
you will not be happy until you have righted matters. If the person
refuses to forgive you, you at least will have done your part."

"I can't go to the--the--person and tell her," faltered Mildred. "I
should die of humiliation."

"But you don't wish to go away from Overton carrying this burden with
you," persisted Miriam. "It will weigh heavily upon you when you come
back next fall--"

"I'm not coming back next fall," mumbled Mildred. "I shall never again
be happy at Overton."

"Brace up, and square things with the other girl, and you'll feel
differently," retorted Miriam.

"If it were any one else besides Miss Harlowe," began Mildred.

"Oh, I am so sorry you told me her name!" exclaimed Miriam regretfully.
"Now that I know it is Grace, however, I shall redouble my advice about
going to her. You need have no fear that she will not forgive you. Grace
never holds grudges."

"I can't do it," declared Mildred tremulously, "I am afraid."

Miriam looked at her co